Bicycle



Dec. 19,- 1922.

V. RULLO. BICYCLE. ORIGINAL FILED -ov- 14'. I919.

5 SHEETS'SHEET I 5 S HEETS'SHEET 2 Dec. 19, 1922.

- V. RULLO,

BICYCLE, OR re NAL Fl LED NOV 14. 191 9.

ATTORNEY-Q BIcYcLE. ORIGINAL FILED NOV. '14. 1919. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 I rm/mm.

Dec. 19,1922. 1,439,263

-V. RULLO. BICYCLE I If,

w w a Patented iQ, i922. r' s s os and

a, a ha l a a La Lei i i w e rs "p 5 V? a a a i VINCENZORU LLO, OLE 3 C LADELlPliIIA, 1EENNSSELVANIA.

I BICYCLE. I I Application filed November 14, 1919, serial'No. 338,063. I Renewed Hovember 4', 1922. Serial No. 599,149.

To allaokom it may concern: Figure 5 represents in section an en-- Be it known that I, VINCENZO RULLo, larged view of the sleeve seen in Figure 9. a subject of the King of Italy, residing in Figure 6 represents, on'an enlarged scale the-city and county of Philadelphia, State and in section, a journal bushing; seen in 5 of Pennsylvania haveinvented a new and Figure 9. i 1 I i useful Bicycle, or which the following isa Figure 7 represents in side elevation a 1 specification. i i' portion ofthe frameworln o My presentinvention consists of a novel Figure 8 represents in front elevation 7 construction of'a bicycle which is constructand partly in section a portion of the ed in such a manner that it can be operated driving inecha-nisnn i at a very high speed without the necessity of F igure' 9 represents a sectionon line 99 employing anyinotive power except that of of Figure 10. i

therider. I I i Figure 10 represents, in side elevation,

It rurther conslsts ota novel construca OI'tlOIl of the drlvlng IHGOhaHISIIL' I 0-/ tion or a blcycle frame and novel means for figure 11 represents a section "011 11116 adjustably securing the parts together 11-11 of Figure 1.. whereby all parts of the bicycle except the Figure 12 represents, in trout elevation, wheels can readily be taken apart and the auxiliary handle and the: construction packed in an ordinary sized'suit case. i by which it is adjustably' supported. 5 75 It further consists of a novel construe I Figure 13 represents a s'ection'on line tionand arrangement ofndriving 1necha-, 13 13-'0fFigure 1. Y

nism. ,Flgure 14 represents a section on line It further consists of a novelconstruc- 1%14: of Figure 13. 1 v tion and arrangement of a seat or seats, and Figure 15 represents, in side elevation, 80 a novel manner of connecting the seat or another embodiment of driving mechanism seats with respect to the bicycle frame. which I can be substituted for that seen in It further consists of a novel construcigure 1. r i M tion of an arrangement of change speed Figure 16 represents, in side elevation, a, gears which can be readily substitnted'one por n v f the r g :llnechanism i S6611 8 1 for the other so that the bicycle can be Figurelfi. y r v 'drivenat any desired speed ratio. Similar numerals of reference indicate Othernovel features of construction'andcorresponding parts. i I

advantage will hereinafter more clearly ap- Referring to the drawings. I i i r pear in the detailed description of the in- 1 designates a high speed blCYClOGlllllOtlY- as vent-ion; k ing my invention. 2 designates theirame For the purpose of illustrating my inwhich is made insections so that when devention, I have shown in the accompanying sired it can be taken apart and packed in a drawings a typical embodiment of it whicli small compass, for example, it-can be readily in practice will'give satisfactory and relicplaced in an ordinarysized suit case. The able results. It is, however, to be i unden frame Q- is provided with top bar 3 whichstood that tliisienibodinient is typical Only 1 includes the sections 4, 5 and Thesection and that the various instruinentalities of l-has :adjustablyconnected therewith the whichmy invention consists can be variousseatcarryi ng brackets 7 which are slidably 1y arranged and organized and that my in mounted on such section." S'designates the 45 ventionis not limited to the precise ar seats each ofwhich is provided withapost 9 rangenient and organization of these in which'isslotted as indicated at 10, Figure 3,

strumentalities as herein set {men and through this slot extends a fastening Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, a device 11', such as for example a bolt, which high speed bicycle, embodying iny invenpasses through the bracket 7 and through itsv 50 tion. a l, L respective slot 10 The posts 9 are guided Figure 2 represents asection on line 22 in recesses ,12 in their. respective brackets 7 of Figure 1. 1 i i and between the bottom of the posts and the Figure 3 represents a section on line 88 bottom of the recess there is interposed aof Figure 1. spring 13.' The seats 8 are connected 'bya llo,

55 Figure represen s a section o1i linel+d 1 plate 14 which isprovidedwith the bosses of Figure 9. or enlargements15 whichare apertured to form guides to receive the rods 16 which are adjustably secured in such bosses 15 by means of set screws 17, see more particularly Figure 12. The rods 16'are secured in any desired manner to a handle bar 18 which forms the auxiliary or rearhandle bar to-be grasped by the occupant of the rear seat. Thesection 4 of the top bar has connected to it in any desired manner the sectional rear braces 19 which are'also COilIlGCtGfl to the hub plates-20 and 90 of the rear wheel 21.. The hub plates 20 and 90 and the section 4 of the top bar are also connected'by the brace bars 22. Brace bars. 23 are connected at their upper ends to the section 4 of the top bar and at their'ilowerends they are connected to the bottom .brace bar 24, one end of which is connected to the hub 20 while the opposite ends of such bars are detachably connected o the bot tom brace bar 25 which carry. in any de-' sired manner the hearing or housing 26 in which is mounted the shaft 27 towliich is detachably connected the cranks 28, see Figure 9, and to these cranks 28the pedals 29 are secured in any desired manner.

- The cranks are secured in position by means of the cap screws 30 which pass.

at their upper ends with sockets in which are secured the depending bars 34 by means of fastening devices 85, the bars 34 being adjustably connected to their respective'section on the top bar of the frame. 1

The bottom brace bar 25 is detachahly connected to a fitting 36 in which is slidable a rod 37 which carries at its lower end a foot piece 88 which can be brought into engagement with the ground in order to serve as a stand. The rod 37 is made in sections, the sections being connected by means of a coupling 38 and the upper section telescopes into the apertured sleeve 39 of the bracket 1 40, see Figure 2. The upper end; of the aperture in the sleeve 39 and the bracket 40 is closed by means of an apertured plug 41 for example asshown in FiguraEZ. .A; spring 44 is interposed between the plug 41; and'the upper section of the brake rod 37. The cable lar sleeve 46' which is in tlireaded engagement with a fixed portion of the bar at 47.

At itsopposite end thesleeve 46. is e'rzteriorlv threaded as indicated at 48-. The cable: passes through a rotatable handle seotion49 which is provided with a reduced portion 50 which extends into: the graspingportion 51 see more particularly Figure 11, passes llll'O the handle bar 45 and through a tubu- The sleeve 46 has fixed to it in any desired 2 manner an outer sleeve 53 which is in threaded engagement with the rotatable handle portion 49 at 54. It will be understod from this that when the handle 49 is rotated in the proper direction the cable 42 will cause the rod 37 to beraised so that the member 38 will be moved into such position that-it will not contact with the ground.

The handle 45 is swivelled at 55, see Figure 1 to the post 56, the post 56 being swivelled in a bracket or-fitting 57 and being connected to the front fork 58 in which the front wheel 59 is journalled in the usual manner. vided with the rearwardly extending rod 60 which is adjustably connected to thebracket 40. A brace bar 61 is also preferably provided one end of which is connected to the bracket 57 while its opposite end is connected to the fitting 86. The fork 58 is provided with an apertured casing 62 the front face of which is openthereby adapting it to receive any desired typeofhead light.

The shaft 27, see more particularly Figures 9 and 10, has fixedly connected with it an internalgear 63 which meshes with a pin ion 64 mounted on a shaft 65 gournalled 1n the standards '32 and 66 which latter are se-.

cured in any desired manner with respect to the bearing 26, as illustrated by means of set screws 67.

The shaft 65 has fixed to it a gear 68 which meshes with a pinion 69 mounted on a shaft 70 journalled in abearing 71. connected to the bars 32 and in a bearing72 at the upper end of a rod 73, the lower end of which latter is secured to the bearing 26. The shaft" 70 has fixed thereto a gear 74 which meshes with a pinion 75 fixed to a shaft 76 which is rotatably mounted in a journal 77 carried by one of the standards 66. and in a bearing 78 connected with one ofthe bars 32. The shaft 76has also fixed wit a sprocket wheel79 around which passes the sprocket chain 80 which also passes around a sprocket wheel 81 which iskeyed to the hub 82 of the rear wheel and to a sleeve 83 by lneansof a key 84 so that the rear wheel rotates in unison; with the sprocket wheel 81. Thesleeve 83 is mounted on the rear shaft 85 which is provided with a nut 86 and a nut 87 between which is located the bracket 88- which is connected by means of a fastening device 89 to the hub plate 20.

The shaft 85 is journalledin the hub plate 90 which is provided with an inwardly extending annular sleeve 9l the inner face of which is serrated as indicated at 92 or pro- The bracket or fitting 57 isaprovided with teeth which co-operate with ser- 1 and in which it has a bearing, The shaft 85 is provided with a nut 95 which co-operates with the nut 87 to retain the parts in their assembled position; The hub 82 may be mounted inany desired manner and as shown the sleeve 91 and thehub are provided respectively with the cooperating teeth ,92 and which preferably have a clearancefbetween them. The shaft 70, see Figures 5 and 9, has in engagement with it a threaded sleeve 96* which engages with the gear 74 which is keyed to the shaft 70.

The arrangement of the, driving gears is such that a gear unit may be readily disconnectedfrom the frame and another gear unit secured in position which has a different gear ratio or a'different number of gears so that anydesired range of speed may be provided bv simply substituting one gear.

unit for another.

As it is impracticable to illustrate all of the different speed ratios which might be employed, I have deemed it necessary to illustrate but one-of these gear units which can be substituted for that shown in Figure 9. This embodiment is seen in Figures 15 and 16 and as seen inFigure 15, I provide the bottom shaft 97 the equivalent of the shaft 25 in Figure 1. said bottom bar 97 being connected with the bars 98 which form the equivalent of the bars 32 and adapted to be connected to the bars 34; f The shaft 99 has fixed to it the internal gear. 100 which meshes with a pinion 101 mounted on a shaft 102 which is mounted in the journal bearing 103 carried by the rods 104; which are adjustably connected to a fixed portion of the frame by fastening devices 105. The shaft 102 has also fixed to it, the sprocket wheel 106 around which the sprocket chain passes when the gear unit shown in Figure 15 is substituted for that seen in Figure 1.

The operation will now be readily understood and is as follows:- i

p The construction and arrangement of the gearing in Figure 1 is'such that the rider may obtain a very high rate of speed without the necessity of employing any motor and it is my purpose to provide nineteen changes of speed so that by substituting one gear unit for another any desired range of speed can be obtained without employing any motive power except that of the rider. The hand operated prop 88 is controlled by means of the rotatable. handle portion 49 it being best understood from Figure 11 that when this handle is rotated the braking member 38 can be raised or lowered and the spring 14 will cause the braking member 38' to be moved'downwardly when the cable 12 is permitted-to move downwardly due to. the rotation of the grasping handle 49. If the operator holdsithe pedals 29 stationary or back pedals; to a slight degree vthe teeth 93 will ride over the teeth 92 in, such amanner as to create a friction between them and a braking action will'be exerted onthe rear wheel. When the rider is pressing down onthepedals with his feet so as to cause theforward movement of the bicycle the teeth 93 will move out of the path of the teethf92 and there will be no engage.- ment between such teeth.

Itwill be apparent that'in accordance with. my present invention, the sections of the bicycle frame may be readily' discone nected so that the frame, the seat, the handle. bars and fork canjbe packed in a suitcase for the purpose of transportation, so that all parts of the machine can be transported in a knock-down condition with the exception of the wheels. p

Vvhenever it is desired to employ a drivingmechanism which will operate at a higher or a lower speed all that it-is necessary to do is to detach the gear unit from the frame and assemble with the frame a gear unit in which the driving gears have the desired relative. ratio.

without departing from the spirit or scope of ,the'invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. 8

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure. by-Letters Patent, is i 1. In a bicycle,v a gear unit comprising a frame adapted to be detachably connected to i and form the main part of the frame ofthe bicycle. said gear frame having-a hub rotatably mounted therein, an internal gear connected with said hub, pedals operatively connected withsaid hub. a pinion driven by said gear, a rotatable shaft to which said pinion is fixed. a gear fixed to said shaft, a second pinion driven by said second gear, a third gear driven by saidsecond' pinion, a third pinion driven by said third gear, a sprocket wheel driven by said third pinion, and a sprocket chain actuated by said sprocket wheel and adapted to drive the bicycle. a i p 2. In a bicycle, a gearunit adapted to be connected to and removed from the bicycle as a unit and comprising a frame, a shaft mounted therein, pedals operativelyconnected to said. shaft, an internal gear connected Withsaid shaft, a pinion driven by said internal gear, a second gear driven by said pinion, a sprocket Wheel operatively connected by said second pinion, and a sprocket chain driven by said sprocket Wheel.

3. Ina bicycle, a gear unit comprising a frame forming a detachable portion of the bicycle frame, a shaft pivotally mounted in said frame, pedals operatively connected to said shaft, an internal gear fixed to said shaft, a pinion driven by said gear, a shaft on Which said pinion is fixed, a gear driven by said second shaft, a third shaft mounted in said frame, a pinion thereon driven by said second gear, a gear fixed to said third shaft, a fourth shaft mounted in said frame, a pinion thereon driven by said third gear,

a sprocket Wheel fixed to said fourth shaft, a driving heel mounted in said frame, and means for'operatively connecting said driving Wheel with said sprocket Wheel.

4. In a bicycle, a frame for a gear unit, comprising a bearing, spaced bars extending: therefrom, a driving shaft mounted in said bearing, an internal gear fixed to said driving shaft, standards carried by said bearing, shafts journalled insaid standards and in said bars, a gear transmission mounted on said snaft and driven by said internal-gear, and-a sprocket gear driven by said gear transmission;

VINCENZORULLO.

Vitnesses H. S. FAIRBANKS,

C. D. MGVAY; 

